The Mating Run

Chapter 4

Ask anyone around here, and they'll tell all they know about Victor Craft. Considering all that he has done, it’s a mystery why he isn’t better known.

Not only is he the Alpha’s son, but he’s also the only one who can talk back to him without consequences. With his broad shoulders and towering height, Alpha Craft could easily snap a person in half if he wanted to.

Upon reflection, it becomes clear to me that | did, in fact, witness him doing it.

Victor is notorious for the wild parties he throws in City Hall, where booze flows freely, drugs are passed around, and s**ual escapades are the norm.

| am never extended an invitation to those events, of course. Even though Ettie has received a few invitations, she disregards them because I’m not part of the guest list.

She has permission to invite me as her plus one, but she won’t because she believes the place is teeming with the wrong crowd. The pack can get pretty wild when the Alpha’s son supervises the parties, so | don’t disagree with her.

The Alpha’s generally stern, but he shows a softer side when it comes to his son. He makes it his mission to make up for the loss of our Luna by showering Victor with all the love and affection he can muster. The bastard seems to be enjoying it immensely.

It's clear that his father’s influence has granted him special treatment, as he’s 26 and shouldn't have been allowed to register in the Mating Run in the first place.

Despite knowing all these things, Victor refuses to move away from me, which makes me uncomfortable. The man’s hold on me is so tight that | can barely breathe, his body pressed tightly against mine.

Victor's arrogant demeanor is on full display as he greets people, expecting them to be just as enthralled with him as he is with himself. Although | could talk to them, | choose not to, and Miles advises me to concentrate on the crucial sponsors.

There is no need for me to draw attention to myself amongst the other contenders. With us only knowing each other for a few minutes, Victor introduces me to others as if we’ve been in a relationship for years. “Yeah! Check out Alina. She’s gorgeous, huh?”

With our cheeks pressed together, | can feel the heat emanating from Victor’s body as he downs more vodka from the bottle. While the woman glares at Victor's arm around my shoulder, | attempt to smile and make the situation less uncomfortable.

“I'm already head over heels for her, even though we just met today. I’m gonna chase her down as soon as the game starts.” His comment makes my skin crawl as the woman in front of us erupts in laughter.

“Alina?”

Hearing the voice | know so well, | turn to look over my shoulder, away from Victor.

Asmile has already formed on my face when | see Ettie, but it instantly vanishes when | see the clothes she has on. As | look at her attire, confusion washes over me, and | can’t help but furrow my brow.

Back at her house, she can’t stop complaining about the strapless dress and bright colors her designers had chosen for her. But as | stare at her, | can’t help but notice how identical our outfits are.

With a high ponytail, Ettie’s blonde hair allows her face to be fully exposed, revealing her natural beauty. The light make-up she wears highlights her stunning features, making her look even more beautiful.

| blink again, and suddenly, Ettie seems like a stranger to me, even though I’ve known her for years. “You know the chick, dollface?” My mind drifts off until Victor’s question jolts me back to the present, and | cough to regain my composure.

I stumble a little as | pull away from him, unaccustomed to walking in such high heels, and make my way over to Ettie. A smile spreads across Ettie’s face as she looks me up and down, her eyes sparkling with sincerity.

“Alina, you look absolutely gorgeous!” As she speaks to me, Ettie grins. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, | force a smile on my face, willing myself to appear happy.

| feel a wild, uncontrollable urge rising up in my throat, preventing me from meeting her eyes. Maybe it’s the few drinks | had earlier that are to blame.

Victor, oblivious to the hint, leans in close behind me, his arms on either side of my shoulders and his chin resting on top of my head.

“She totally does, doesn’t she?” | can tell Victor's smirking from the way he drawls his words, even though I’m not looking at him. “| think you look pretty too, stranger, ’cause you both apparently have the same designers.”

Ettie blushes and nervously twists a strand of hair around her finger while scratching the back of her n*ck.

“| mentioned you up while my designer is getting me ready. She keeps bugging me about why I signed up, and | finally tell her it’s because of you. So, she says I’m a good friend, and then we start talking more about you, and your outfit for tonight comes up. | don’t really know, but it seems like she thought of the same idea and wanted me to wear white as well.”

“It's fine,” Even though | don’t believe my own words, | reassure myself that it’s okay as | stammer through my words. My confidence wanes as | realize that Ettie’s beauty outshines mine, now that we're wearing the same dress. Everyone knows that Victor is a liar, so his words are anything but true. “Wow, Ettie... You look great! When did you get here?”

Ettie grins, but her eyes show a hint of discomfort.

“| arrived a couple of hours ago. My bad for not approaching you sooner. | got held up at the door by some folks who wanted to talk.”

“Oh!” Casually draping an arm over my shoulder, Victor affectionately presses his cheek against the top of my head. My irritation towards him is slowly dissipating, and | can’t deny that the alcohol is playing a role in that. “You were talking to the mall owners, aren't you? Oh yeah, | know them, they’re loaded. Get them to sponsor you, and the Mating Run will be a breeze.”

“Uh,” Ettie grins again, clearly uncomfortable. “Right.”

A few moments of uncomfortable silence pass before Victor squeezes his arms around my shoulders, leading me to the bar. His purring is so close to my ear, | can feel the vibrations, and his touch lingers like he doesn’t want to let go.

“Ladies, what do you say we make this night memorable?”

Ettie and | share a look that conveys our mutual understanding, but | can’t help feeling relieved by Victor’s presence, which alleviates the tension that has been weighing on us.

“| mean, a couple of shots won't hurt, right, Ettie? This is the Sponsor’s Gala, let’s enjoy it.”

Ever the responsible one, Ettie carefully considers her options before acting. Without even glancing at Victor, she fixes her gaze on me, unsure of what to say.

“| don’t know, Alina. Drinking isn’t really our thing.” With a nonchalant wave of his hand, Victor brushes off her concerns. “Nonsense! Tonight's a party, and Alina needs to relax and have some fun.”

He turns his attention back to me, his eyes filled with a flirtatious gleam as he nuzzles the side of my head, his cheek brushing against mine. Even though | don’t know why he’s standing so close, it feels like he’s a lifeline, Keeping me from drowning in my own insecurities.

“Why the serious face, Alina? Come on, you're way too beautiful for that!” “Oh, shut up, we're already coming to drink with you.”

“Beautiful and fucking smart, incredible!”

As uncomfortable as it is, | can’t deny the thrill of being the center of Victor's attention, even as my cheeks burn.

The sound of laughter and the clinking of glasses continues throughout the evening, and my happiness grows. With every passing moment, I’m increasingly aware that registering now is the best choice. Each time | down a shot, Ettie’s face shows increasing concern as she tries to intervene.

“Alina, take it easy. You're going to overdo it.”

Victor steps in, his hand on my shoulder sending a calming feeling through me. He lifts a bottle of vodka to my lips, and | accept it eagerly. Ettie’s eyes bore into me, but my thoughts are muddled, leaving me uncertain if she’s angry at me or Victor.

“Don't be a party pooper, Ettie. Let her enjoy herself.”

My nods become more enthusiastic as | feel the warmth of the alcohol spreading through my veins. With each sip, | feel my inhibitions slip away, replaced by a newfound confidence that’s liberating.

| take a deep breath and decide that | won’t let my insecurities ruin the day.

Victor parades me around the sponsors all night, cajoling them to promise me special gifts for the Mating Run. The Alpha’s son is highly regarded, and they’re thrilled at the possibility of gaining his favor.

As | think about Victor’s unwavering support, a wave of gratitude washes over me.

The music swirls around us, and | lose myself in the rhythm as Victor leads me across the gleaming dance floor. Every so often, | notice Ettie watching us with a mixture of concern and resignation in her eyes.

| appreciate her good intentions, but | know that it’s time that | do things on my own. “Does she always watch you like a damn hawk?”

| roll my eyes at Victor’s playful teasing as we dance around the floor.

“She’s my best friend, Victor.”

“Really? Seems to me like she’s trying to keep you in the shadows so she can shine. Did you plan on matching with her in the same dress, doll face?”

My face scrunches up in a frown as | look at him. “Ettie’s not that kind of person.”

“Don't look at me like that,” Victor’s arms are raised in surrender as he leans in close, his nose brushing against mine. | stand still, trying to focus on not losing myself to the effects of the alcohol. “Just calling it like | see it.”

Just as I’m about to speak, | hear a throat being cleared behind us. | see Victor’s face change from happy to scheming in a matter of seconds. His sudden embrace catches me off guard, and | gasp as he pulls me close, pressing my face against his chest.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Can | do anything for you?”

Even though | can’t see who it is, | still try to pull away from Victor.

Despite my attempts, he refuses to let me go and pushes my face into his chest. “Need | remind you, Victor, that it's customary to greet your father with a hello?” My lips part with a gasp of surprise, and | instinctively start slapping Victor’s chest.

He chuckles again, playfully pressing his cheek against the top of my head to hush me. His warm breath tickles my n*ck as his lips brush against my skin, causing me to tense up. Lips tickling my ear, he leans in close, his words flowing like sweet, golden honey.

“Alina, do me a favor and shut up. If you want more sponsors, you're gonna have to have me and keep him from seeing you. It’s a win-win situation. You help me and | help you.”

In just a moment, my trust for him evaporates completely, as | knew it would.

| knew Victor's sudden interest in me felt strange — | couldn’t believe someone as famous and handsome as him would want to be friends with me for no reason. Although | try not to be offended, | can’t help but feel hurt.

“Alpha Craft, could you kindly leave us alone?” Victor's once charismatic voice now holds an undertone of intense anger. His hands, which were once comforting, now feel suffocating with anger. “I’m trying to score a mate here, can you give us some space?”

“Victor, the names of potential mates within the pack have already been provided to you. What are you even doing? Registration for the Mating Run is not necessary. Just do what | ask of you to do.”

Though Victor doesn’t respond, his body language indicates his thoughts. | crane my head slowly to stare at him, and as | do, it hits me — | finally understand what he meant when he said we should help each other out.

Finding a mate isn’t on Victor Craft's agenda.

In an act of rebellion, he signed up for the Mating Run just to spite his father.